Coronavirus: Harrogate Town captain stays focussed

Falkingham: 'I'm focussing on finishing the season'

Harrogate Town's Josh Falkingham is attempting to keep his fitness levels up whilst staying at home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The captain claims he's doing as much as he can at home, so he is ready when the season re-starts and says he's focussing on finishing the season.

Harrogate Town currently sit in second the National League but there's been no word yet on if the season will resume or be nil and void due to coronavirus.

Having now gone over two weeks without a fixture, Stray FM spoke to Captain Josh Falkingham on the impact a life without football is having.

“As time has gone on and the severity of the situation has become clear it has been hard to be honest, we thought the country would shut down for a week or two, but I don’t think anyone thought it would get to this stage.

“It’s been really tough, you take things for granted in life and football is one of them, for us players to be able to do what we love as a job and have that taken away is a real sad state of affairs.

“The usual characters have been nice and lively and keeping spirits up in the group chat, but I think it’s tough for them too, everyone is just missing each other really, the sooner we get back to normality the better for everyone.

“That being said, the main thing is the health and safety of absolutely everyone, that is paramount, so as much as we are gutted, frustrated and severely bored, the main thing that has to come out of this is that everyone gets through it and comes out on the other side.”

With challenges like #StayAtHome and #Gameface keeping people entertained, we asked the Skipper what he had been doing to pass the time.

“My six-month-old daughter Penelope has managed to get us through, you never get a minute to sit still and switch off when she’s rolling around and laughing, she has been giving us all a lot of laughter and a lot of fun!

“I have tried the toilet roll challenge, but after three goes it annoyed me that much I gave up, no chance!

“I actually did the Joe Wickes workout this morning, I did it thinking it was for kids and it would be easy, but it has absolutely done me in, I was sweating buckets!

“I have been trying to keep my fitness levels high with different things, it is incredible how many people are putting stuff out there to do.

“We are very lucky to have Fitness Coach Darren Simpson at the club and are keeping the standards as high as possible. Daz has really come into his own sending stuff out a week ago, getting out training programmes to all players which we have been sticking to.

“We have been going back to pre-season mentality where you have to just get on with it and do it, if we don’t we will fall behind.

“We don’t know when or if the season is going to start again, everyone else will be keeping their fitness levels up so when it does come back, and hopefully it does and we get to finish the season, we have to be bang on it and ready to go in a week or two as it’s going to be a quicker turnaround than a normal pre-season.”

With Town currently sitting second in The National League, how the season will pan out is up in the air, though there are more important matters to concentrate on for Falkingham.

“Until there is a decision made you can’t really reflect on the season, we are just constantly looking to finish the season and focusing on that.

“The only message is to stay safe, hopefully all supporters are all well and no one has contracted the virus, hopefully everybody is okay and safe."